Toy inertial projectile launcher

ABSTRACT

A device for hand launching a toy projectile in an upward direction primarily for the amusement of young people. The device includes; a striker and toy projectile fitted together by some suitable means, such as a sliding piston-in-cylinder, with an ordinary paper detonating cap placed in between; and, if desired, a handle on the striker. Striking the bottom of the striker on, or by, a hard surface inertially detonates the paper detonating cap, propelling the toy projectile from the striker.

United States Patent i 1 Petersen et al.

[ 1 Sept. 30, 1975 TOY INERTIAL PROJECTILE LAUNCHER [76] Inventors: Harry Arthur Petersen, 2526 Tomoka Ave.; Mike Kinnan, 3645 Barna Ave., Apt. 298, both of Titusville, Fla. 32780; Frederick Drew Evans, Jr., Rt. 1, Oviedo, Fla. 32765 22 Filed: Apr. 18, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 462,033

[52] US. Cl. 46/199; 46/74 B [51] Int. Cl. A63 5/00 [58] Field of Search 46/74 B, 199

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,803,490 5/1931 Stetson 46/199 2,752,729 7/1956 Maclnnes 46/199 3,465,472 9/1969 Novotny 46/74 B Primary Eruminer-Hugh R. Chamblee Assistant Examiner-Robert F. Cutting [57] ABSTRACT A device for hand launching a toy projectile in an upward direction primarily for the amusement of young people. The device includes; a striker and toy projectile fitted together by some suitable means, such as a sliding piston-in-cylinder, with an ordinary paper detonating cap placed in between; and, if desired. a handle on the striker. Striking the bottom of the striker on, or by, a hard surface inertially detonates the paper detonating cap, propelling the toy projectile from the striker.

1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures TOY INERTIAL PROJECTILE LAUNCHER SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is a device which permits hand launching a toy projectile through the inertial detonation of an ordinary paper detonating cap in a suitably sized detonation chamber arranged so that the two pieces comprising said detonation chamber rapidly separate when the paper cap is detonated. Thus by having one part of the detonation chamber in or on a striker mechanism and the other part in or on a toy projectile, the toy projectile is propelled away from the striker when the paper detonating cap detonates. One method of detonation of the paper cap would be to install a handle means on the striker so that the striker could be manually struck on a hard surface in a manner similar to a hammer being struck on a nail. The inertia of the striker and toy projectile combination moving toward the hard surface, with the detonation chamber arranged as above, provides the paper detonating cap detonation energy when the striker strikes a hard surface. When this action occurs, the striker part of the detonation chamber rapidly stops, while the toy projectile part of the detonation chamber attempts to continue its imparted movement undisturbed, thus causing the rapid mutual compression of the two mating detonation chamber surfaces. Since the paper detonating cap has been placed between these two surfaces, said cap will detonate, rapidly generating combustion gases and increasing the pressure between the two mating detonation chamber surfaces, driving them apart, one from the other. Thus, the toy projectile part of the detonation chamber is propelled away from the striker part of the detonation chamber.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to amuse people, particularly young people, by providing a hand launchable toy projectile device.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a handle means by which the manual launching of the toy projectile may be conveniently performed.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide further amusement to people, particularly young people, by causing a sharp noise during the launching action.

Another important object of the-present invention is toprovide further amusement to people, particularly young people, by providing an observable, retrievable toy projectile.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reference to the following specification, attendant claims, and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the toy inertial projectile launcher with parts in section taken along lines l1 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the toy inertial projectile launcher.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view which illustrates the mode of operation of the invention, utilizing the handle means for striking the striker on a hard horizontal surface.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a modified form of the invention wherein the toy parachute and housing type of toy projectile is shown in section.

FIG. 5 illustrates the toy parachute type toy projectile with the toy parachute deployed.

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the striker and toy parachute and housing assembly installed, illustrating the modification to the striker needed to retain the toy parachute type projectile.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the device as described in FIG. 6.

Referring in more detail to the drawings, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a system constructed in accordance with the present invention. This section view shows the relationship of the striker, designated by the reference character 10, and the toy projectile 12, in this case, a modified badminton shuttlecock type of projectile. Also illustrated is a piston-in-cylinder type detonation chamber 14; the piston shown on the toy projectile 12 and the cylinder shown in the striker 10. The paper detonating cap 11 is shown in position between the piston top and the cylinder bottom surfaces, which must be metal surfaces in order to effectively cause paper detonating cap detonation.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of this particular embodiment of the invention, showing a cutout 16 in the toy projectile 12 skirt. This cutout 16 permits full seating of the toy projectile 12 on the striker 10 by allowing clearance for the handle means 18, which includes a hand grip 19. Also shown is a bottom striker plate 20, in this case an ordinary thumb tack, which helps distribute the impact load throughout the striker 10 base.

Referring to FIG. 3, the operation of the toy inertial projectile launcher can be explained. The toy projectile 12 is first removed from the striker 10. An ordinary paper detonating cap 11 is placed flat on the bottom metal surface of the detonation chamber 14 cylinder, then the toy projectile 12 is seated as shown in FIG. 1. By gripping the handle means 18 by the hand grip l9 and swinging the striker l0 and toy projectile 12 assembly downward, striking the striker plate 20 on a hard surface 22, the paper detonating cap 11 is inertially detonated, propelling the toy projectile 12 away from the striker 10. The two parts of the detonation chamber 14, a piston and cylinder in this case, are made so that they are fitted together snugly enough to provide a vacuum and frictional hold on one another to prevent separation of the toy projectile 12 from the striker 10 during any striking motion of the striker 10, and to provide sufficient combustion pressure, upon paper detonating cap 11 detonation, to propel the toy projectile 12 rapidly from the striker 10. After thus launching the toy projectile 12, same may be retrieved and the process repeated.

FIGS. 4 through 7 show a modification of the present invention wherein the Striker 10 is altered somewhat to provide for launching a different toy projectile, in this case a toy parachute assembly. FIG. 4 is a section view of the altered striker 10 wherein a suitable holding mechanism is employed, such as spring clips 24 which are attached by a suitable means, such as with screws 26, to retain the toy parachute type toy projectile assembly 28, itself consisting of a hollow aerodynamically shaped housing 30, a piston cap 32, and a toy parachute 34. The toy parachute type toy projectile 28 is launched in the same manner as the badminton shuttlecock type toy projectile 12. However, the toy parachute type toy projectile 28 must be assembled by rolling the toy parachute 34 and placing it inside the hollow housing 30, and then placing the piston cap 32 in place, as shown in FIG. 4. The toy parachute assembly 28 is then ready to be placed on the striker l0, and secured; in this case it is clipped in place by the spring clips 24. Once the toy parachute type toy projectile 28 is launched by slipping past the spring clips 24 upon paper detonating cap 11 detonation, it remains assembled as long as aerodynamic drag forces are generated on the housing 30 to oppose the inertia forces of the piston cap 32. Once the directional motion of the toy parachute assembly 28 stops, or reverses, as in falling back to earth, the piston cap 32 and housing 30 tumble apart, or are forced apart by the light spring force of the compressed, packed parachute, or other suitable separation spring means, allowing the toy parachute 34 to unfurl and fully deploy, as shown in FIG. 5. When the parachute 34, housing 30, and the piston cap 32 float to earth, same may be retrieved and the procedure repeated.

Launching of either type of toy projectile may be accomplished by at least two alternative methods, both of which still generate the necessary inertial energy to detonate the paper detonating cap 11. The first method is to hold the striker l and strike it on the bottom with another hard object, such as a hammer. The second method involves the striker alone, without the handle means 18 and hand grip 19. In utilizing this second method, the striker 10 is simply dropped, bottom side downward, on a hard surface, such as a sidewalk, wherein paper detonating cap 11 detonation occurs.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claim.

What is claimed is:

1. An amusement projectile launching device comce a cone frustum, smaller at the top, and constructed of a solid, rigid material adapted to transmit inertial shock;

b. a handle means affixed to one side of said body section;

c. said handle means being cylindrical in shape having a similar, but larger in diameter, cylinder as a handgrip;

d. a detonation chamber, cylindrical in shape, lo-

cated in the top of said body section;

e. said detonation chamber being comprised of metal-lined walls and base, having its top open, and at the same level as the top of said body section;

f. a toy projectile adapted to be placed atop said body section and inserted into said detonation chamber;

g. said toy projectile having a bottom extending downward in the shape of a piston;

h. said piston being sized to fit snugly into said detonation chamber, and having at its base a metal end which mates with said metal-lined base portion of said detonation chamber; i. said toy projectile having a top section in the shape of a rounded dome;

j. a minimum of three semi-rigid vanes, evenly spaced radially and integrally formed with said rounded dome, and extending outwardly and downwardly to form a conical shape;

k. said vanes being straight longitudinally, and evenly dispersed around said rounded domes aft circumference;

l. a paper detonating cap adapted to be placed between said metal-lined base portion of said detonation chamber and said metal end of said toy projectile piston such that inertial forces of said detonation chamber base and said piston sharply squeezing together upon impact of the bottom of said body section on a hard surface detonate said paper detonating cap, thus launching said toy projectile upward;

m. an impact distribution plate shaped like an ordinary thumbtack affixed to the center-bottom of said body section by a force fit;

n. a toy parachute housed, during launch and part of the flight, in a modified rounded dome section of said toy projectile wherein the rounded dome section forms an aerodynamic parachute housing which is hollow with a raised shoulder on the inner diameter of the hollowed section base;

0. a cap, integrally formed with said piston and adapted to be received on said shoulder to form the bottom section of said hollow parachute housing;

p. said cap being loosely fitted on said shoulder so that said aerodynamic housing and said cap will tumble apart at the top of said projectile flight, or zero gravity point, thus releasing said parachute;

q. said housing and said cap being attached by strings to the apex of the parachute shroud lines;

r. said hollowed portion of said projectile rounded dome being larger in diameter at its bottom end than at its uppermost end to allow said parachute to freely and easily tumble therefrom at the zero 'gravity point of projectile flight;

s. three spring wire clip retainers, spaced at degree intervals radially around, and affixed on the side of said body section to hold said toy projectile in place during the launching thereof;

t. said spring wire clips are formed in a circular eyelet at their bottom end to permit affixing of said clips to said body section by wood screws. 

1. An amusement projectile launching device comprising, in combination: a. a body section shaped like a cone frustum, smaller at the top, and constructed of a solid, rigid material adapted to transmit inertial shock; b. a handle means affixed to one side of said body section; c. said handle means being cylindrical in shape having a similar, but larger in diameter, cylinder as a handgrip; d. a detonation chamber, cylindrical in shape, located in the top of said body section; e. said detonation chamber being comprised of metal-lined walls and base, having its top open, and at the same level as the top of said body section; f. a toy projectile adapted to be placed atop said body section and inserted into said detonation chamber; g. said toy projectile having a bottom extending downward in the shape of a piston; h. said piston being sized to fit snugly into said detonation chamber, and having at its base a metal end which mates with said metal-lined base portion of said detonation chamber; i. said toy projectile having a top section in the shape of a rounded dome; j. a minimum of three semi-rigid vanes, evenly spaced radially and integrally formed with said rounded dome, and extending outwardly and downwardly to form a conical shape; k. said vanes being straight longitudinally, and evenly dispersed around said rounded dome''s aft circumference; l. a paper detonating cap adapted to be placed between said metal-lined base portion of said detonation chamber and said metal end of said toy projectile piston such that inertial forces of said detonation chamber base and said piston sharply squeezing together upon impact of the bottom of said body section on a hard surface detonate said paper detonating cap, thus launching said toy projectile upward; m. an impact distribution plate shaped like an ordinary thumbtack affixed to the center-bottom of said body section by a force fit; n. a toy parachute housed, during launch and part of the flight, in a modified rounded dome section of said toy projectile wherein the rounded dome section forms an aerodynamic parachute housing which is hollow with a raised shoulder on the inner diameter of the hollowed section base; o. a cap, integrally formed with said piston and adapted to be received on said shoulder to form the bottom section of said hollow parachute housing; p. said cap being loosely fitted on said shoulder so that said aerodynamic housing and said cap will tumble apart at the top of said projectile flight, or zero gravity point, thus rEleasing said parachute; q. said housing and said cap being attached by strings to the apex of the parachute shroud lines; r. said hollowed portion of said projectile rounded dome being larger in diameter at its bottom end than at its uppermost end to allow said parachute to freely and easily tumble therefrom at the zero gravity point of projectile flight; s. three spring wire clip retainers, spaced at 120 degree intervals radially around, and affixed on the side of said body section to hold said toy projectile in place during the launching thereof; t. said spring wire clips are formed in a circular eyelet at their bottom end to permit affixing of said clips to said body section by wood screws. 